Pat Dowling

During the March 4 City Council meeting, City Council recognized and presented certificates of completion to North Myrtle Beach residents who graduated from the 2019 North Myrtle Beach Citizens Academy. Academy participants learned about work performed by city departments, their projects and some of the challenges they face. They also toured key city facilities. Citizens Academy graduates included Sheila Benson, Brittany Callahan, James Van Cooper, Brandon Downey, John Hedrick, Teresa Hedrick, Deborah Lashley, Susan Platt, Jim Rudge, Pam Rudge, Edward Silver and Tim Weis. We thank these residents for their interest in and commitment to the city of North Myrtle …

The North Myrtle Beach Tree City Board has selected an oak tree located at Trinity United Methodist Church, at 706 14th Avenue South as its Tree of the Month for February. Those familiar with the tree’s history say it was planted in 1976 in memory of Jim Taibi, who passed away on June 2, 1976. Pastor Reverend William Williams, now a Methodist Bishop, presided over the ceremony and North Myrtle Beach gardener Jane McDaniel supervised the planting. A hurricane severely damaged one of the tree’s large limbs and a portion of its trunk. Instead of taking the tree down, the …

During the Feb. 4 North Myrtle Beach City Council meeting, over which Mayor Pro Tempore Terry White presided while Mayor Marilyn Hatley was in Columbia on city business, six city employees were presented with Employee Longevity Awards. The awards are given in five-year increments to employees who provide excellent customer service. Receiving the awards were Captain of Professional Standards Michael Baldasarre (25 years of service), Community Services Sergeant Michael Bienkoski (25), Aquatic Supervisor Judy Childers (5), Crew Leader I Dan Lewis (5), Crew Leader II Bernie Lowe, and Facility Maintenance Technician Kurt Ribelin (5). City Council approved a special event …

Henry Lawrence Jones, 67, passed away Saturday, Jan. 19, 2019, at his home surrounded by his loving family. Born on Feb. 27, 1951, in Laurens, he was a son of the late Henry Lawrence Kennedy Jr. and Mary Elizabeth Milam. He was predeceased by his step-father, Robert Fleming Jones Jr., his brother, Maxcy Jones and sister, Elizabeth Jones Earles. Although Lawrence was born in Laurens, he has been a native to Myrtle Beach since his early childhood and was proud to call Myrtle Beach his hometown. His love for sports was known throughout the entire community. He loved to play …

Most city projects that occur during the first half of calendar year 2019 are continuations from 2018 because the city is still tracking fiscal year 2018, which runs July 1, 2018-June 30, 2019. City Council and staff will discuss proposed projects for the latter half of 2019 (fiscal year 2020) during Council’s February 25-26 Fiscal Year 2020 budget retreat at Wampee Plantation at 1190 Chicora Drive in Pinopolis. The budget retreat is open to the public. The city will post budget retreat materials online at www.nmb.us as they become available. Council will adopt a FY 2020 budget in May 2019. …

Greg Hembree, State Senator for District 28 (Horry and Dillon), of Little River has been named Chairman of the Senate Education Committee. This was announced on Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019, by President of the Senate, Harvey Peeler. The Senate Education Committee is responsible for all state legislation impacting preschool, kindergarten through grade 12 and institutions of higher education in South Carolina. Asked about his new assignment Senator Hembree said, “Providing the opportunity for a world class education to every South Carolinian is one of the most fundamental responsibilities of government. We have a very strong group of senators serving on …

Prior to the Monday, Jan. 7, North Myrtle Beach City Council meeting, Council met in executive session for legal briefings regarding Dunlap vs the City of North Myrtle Beach et al 2017 CP 26 03818 and Neely vs the City of North Myrtle Beach 2017 CP 26 05428. Council also received a legal briefing regarding the Tort Claims Act. Council took no action. During the meeting, North Myrtle Beach Tree City Board Chairman Tom Walker provided City Council with an activities report. Tree City Board members include Tom Walker, Caroline Driggers, Ruth Anne Ellis, Dee Myers and John Sloop. Walker …

On Thursday, Dec. 27, 2018, at 1 p.m., North Myrtle Beach police and fire personnel visited the home of six-year-old Bryson Jones, who lives with his family at 4690 Little River Neck Road. Bryson had a heart transplant in June 2018 and he is a few months shy of being cleared by his doctor to go to Disney World to fulfill one of his wishes. The Make-A-Wish® Foundation is fulfilling this wish for Bryson. Additionally, the Make-A-Wish® Foundation has also learned that Bryson loves the North Myrtle Beach police officers and firefighters. He wants to have North Myrtle Beach police …

The fire at Barefoot Landing occurred on Friday, Dec. 21, and firefighters were dispatched at 11:30 p.m. When fire crews arrived on the scene, the two-story building was already fully involved, winds were intense, and firefighters worked hard and successfully to ensure that the fire did not spread to other structures in Barefoot Landing. This was a three alarm fire and involved firefighters from North Myrtle Beach, Horry County, Myrtle Beach and Calabash. Overall there were 10 apparatus on the scene and two medic units working. Although structurally the Barefoot General Store at Barefoot Landing in North Myrtle Beach is …